Attachment for converting chain stitch type sewing machines into machines for rooting hair into the resultant product



Aug. 10, 1954 HALL 2,686,305

ATTACHMENT FOR CONVERTING CHAIN-STITCH TYPE SEWING MACHINES INTOMACHINES FOR ROOTING HAIR INTO THE RESULTANT PRODUCT Filed Aug. 26, 19533 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

ATTORNEY.

g- 10, 1954 E. HALL 2,686,305

ATTACHMENT FOR CONVERTING CHAIN-STITCH TYPE SEWING MACHINES INTOMACHINES FOR ROOTING HAIR INTO THE RESULTANT PRODUCT Filed Aug. 26, 19533 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR Z/IWKHVQ [0679)? H1911.

Aug. 10, 1954 L. E. HALL ATTACHMENT FOR CONVERTING CHAIN-STITCH TYPESEWING MACHINES INTO MACHINES FOR ROOTING HAIR INTO THE RESULTANTPRODUCT 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 26, 1953 INVENTOR. L HWFfNfE L DGXWHHZL its 'AITGRWEX Patented Aug. 10, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEATTACHMENT FOR CONVERTING CHAIN- STITCH TYPE SEWING MACHINES INTOMACHINES FOR ROOTING HAIR INTO THE RESULTANT PRODUCT Claims. 1

This invention relates broadly to an attachment for a chain-stitch typesewing machine mechanism whereby such. mechanism may be used for TOJtlDfI hair into the scalp of a doll made of resilient material such asvinyl plastic or other such compositions. The present application is acontinuation in part of my application Attachment for Sewing Machine,filed on October 24, 1952, under Serial No. 316,710, now abandoned.

In the doll manufacturing industry it is now common practice tomanufacture dolls of resilicnt, rubber-lilze material such as thecomposition known as vinyl plastic and other similar compositions.Whereas it was formerly possible to glue or otherwise secure a wig uponthe exterior of a dolls scalp, such method of attaching hair is notpossible nor desirable where the head is made of a rubber-likesubstance. Where such compositions are used, it is necessary to causethe hair to penetrate the scalp and to be fixedly secured throughout theinterior of the scalp.

Toward that end, a conventional chain-stitch producing sewing machinemechanism may be used effectively, such a mechanism having a high postand a vertically reciprocating hooked needle. However in using suchmechanism, a problem presents itself. The hooked needle, atsubstantially the beginning of its downward stroke. will engage aquantity of strands of simulated hair and draw them downwardly throughthe scalp where they will be locked permanently. The needle will thenadvance upwardly again and at the beginning of its downward strokeengage substantially another quantity of hair and draw it downwardlythrough and lock it against the interior of the scalp. In so doing,since each strand of simulated. hair is engaged by the needle midway ofits length and drawn through and locked against the interior of thescalp in that manner, permitting the free ends of the strands of hair toextend upon the exterior of the scalp, it will engage some of the freeends of hair already rooted and draw them through the scalp. Afterseveral quantities of hair have been rooted, the hair will becomecompletely snarled, and the mechanism will either be unable to produce acomplete head of hair or, if a head of hair is produced. the productwill be unsightly and unlit for commercial use.

It is therefore the principal object of the present invention to providean attachment for a high-post chain-stitch producing sewing machinemechanism. which will brush aside the free ends of rooted hair, so thatsuch free ends cannot again be engaged by the needle.

it is a further aim of the present invention to provide an attachmentfor a sewing machine mechanism of this character, the attachment havinga plurality of spaced-apart openings near its outer edge, through whichthe vertically reciprocating needle draws successive quantities of hairin such a manner that the free ends of the hair engaged by the hookedend of the needle will be brushed aside and out of the path of thereciprocating needle.

And yet another purpose of the present invention resides in theprovision of a method for rooting strands of simulated hair to theinterior of the scalp of a doll, the hair being rooted between the twoends of each strand, which may be accomplished by machinery having anattachment which brushes the free ends of rooted hair out of the path ofthe vertically reciprocating needle of the mechanism. And a stillfurther advantage of the present invention resides in the pro-vision ofa dolls head in which hair, which is drawn through the scalp, islock-stitched to the interior of the scalp, each strand of hair beinglock-stitched between its two ends, the loose ends of lock-stitched hairwhich extend upon the exterior of the scalp being free for combing anddressing.

These and other meritorious aims and objects, which will become morefully apparent as the description hereof proceeds, are attained by thenovel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafterdescribed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, forming amaterial component of the present disclosure, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the head of a conventionalchain-stitch producing sew ing machine mechanism provided with anattachment which constitutes the present invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of Figure 1 showing the mechanicalrelationship between the attachment of the present invention and themachine head.

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view of a feeder which may be used inconnection with the present invention. the feeder havinga quantity ofstrands of hair simulated therein, the illustration further showing themechanical relationship between the feeder and the attachment whichconstitutes the present invention.

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail view of the first step in the hairrooting process, the illustration showing the hooked end of the needleabout to remove a quantity of strands of hair from the feeder.

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail view of the next step in the hair rootingprocess, the illustration showing the needle, during its downwardstroke, drawing the hair removed from the feeder in Figure 4. throughone of the openings in the attachment and through the opening made inthe scalp by the needle during its upward stroke.

Figure 6 is a detail view of the final step in the hair rooting process,the illustration showing the free ends of rooted hair having beenbrushed out of the path of the needle about to begin its upward strokeagain.

Figure 7 is a sectional view of a portion of scalp having rooted hairtherein, showing the chain stitch produced by the mechanism, theillustration being drawn to an enlarged scale.

Figure 3 is a sectional view or" a feeder which may be used inconnection with the present invention, the feeder illustrated as havingbeen provided with a quantity of strands of precut hair, and showing thehooked end of the needle engaging a quantity of strands of hair on thefeeder.

Figure 9 is an elevational View of a modified form of attachment.

Figure 10 is a side elevational view of the head of mechanism of thetype herein referred to, showing how the rocking motion of the feeder isachieved.

Figure 11 is a right hand end view of the machine head showing themechanical relation of the feeder, machine head, needle and attachment.

Referring in greater detail to the drawing, the numeral Ill illustratesin general a high post, chain-stitch producing sewing machine mechanismhaving a vertically reciprocating hooked needle, in connection withwhich the attachment of the present invention is used.

The sewing machine mechanism further comprises a conventional presserfoot 30 comprising a pair of spaced-apart horizontal bars and twospaced-apart vertical bars, as is illustrated in Figure 1 of thedrawings. Rotatably mounted slightly above the lower horizontal bar ofpresser foot 30 and adapted to rotate horizontally is the attachment 6 Iof the present invention. Attachment l I is a disc made of steel or anyother suitable and desirable material. Centrally of disc ll there may beprovided a much smaller re-enforcing disc Ha. Disc H is provided nearits outer edge with a plurality of spaced-apart elongated periferalslots I2, the purpose of which will hereinafter be more fully described.While the preferred rotative movement of disc ll is in a clockwisedirection, it may be so mounted that it will rotate in the oppositedirection if desired.

Centrally of disc II is a gear H5 in mesh with a spur gear l5 of smallerdiameter. For the purpose of the present disclosure, gear I6 is 6 timeslarger than gear I5. Gear M is mounted at one end of a shaft l8, shaftl8 carrying a gear I3 near its other end. Gear I3 is in mesh with a gearI4 rotating in the opposite direction, the said gear M being mountednear one end of a shaft 11 extending parallel to shaft 18. At its otherend, shaft I8 is provided with a horizontally rotating gear H) in meshwith a vertically rotating bevel gear IE! on shaft 24, which is the maindrive shaft of the mechanism It).

The conventional housing of the conventional mechanism is referred to bythe numeral 26 and the pulleys by which motion is imparted to shaft 21are referred to by the numerals 2i. The

presser foot of the mechanism. which is not part of the presentinvention is referred to by the numeral 30. Presser foot 36 has securedthereto a conventional lifter rod 34 which is spring controlled as at33. Also part of any conventional machine of this type is a post 32having a rectangularly bent upper end 32a upon which a work piece restswhile work is performed thereon, member 32a having an opening 32btherein, as is illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings.

Extending below shaft 24 and parallel thereto is a rocker 35 axiallyrotating in a hearing 23 at one end, and a bearing 22 at its other end.

In mesh with gear 19 is a bevel gear 31 rotating vertically, which hassecured thereto by screws or otherwise an excentric disc 8k havingopenings therein. A rocker arm is adapted to be retained at one of itsend in one of said openings by means of a screw 86 or other wise, theother end of arm 80 having an elongated slot 32 therein for the passageof a screw 83 therethrough and through an elongated slot at one end ofanother arm 8!, the other end of arm 8| having a screw opening thereinfor the passage of a screw 35a therethrough and through the elongatedslot at one end of an arm 'l'i, said arm ll disposed angularly withrespect to arms El) and SI. Substantially at its center, arm T1 issecured to rocker 35. Near its other end, arm 71 is provided with anelongated slot 82 for the passage of a pin 19 or other retaining meanstherethrough and through an elongated slot at one end. of an arm 78, theother end of the said arm 18 having secured thereto in any suitable anddesirable manner, a feeder broadly referred to by the numeral 45.

Feeder 45 may be made from a unitary piece of material such as metal,bent upon itself to form a bottom, a front portion and a cover portion46. In its open rear a counter-weight 41 may be provided, actuated byspring Ma, by which hair is advanced toward the front of the feeder.Centrally of the front of the feeder, there may be provided an openingit through which the hooked end of needle 31 may pass and engagesuccessive quantities of hair in the feeder, and draw them from thefeeder, the hair being positioned in strands horizontally across thefeeder, as is illustrated at M in Figure 6, the illustration alsoshowing that the hooked end of needle 31 engages each strand of hairsubstantially midway its length. Slot 48, in which pin 49 may beretained, aids in the forward movement of the hair and also inretracting the weight when the feeder is devoid of hair.

In Figure 10 of the drawings, cast-01f cam 83, presser foot cam 88,needle cam 89 and feed cam are illustrated. This is standard equipmentof machines of the type herein refered to, the castoff cam 8'!controlling the operation of a pair of cast-offs 15 and '16respectively, which hold the stitch on the interior of the scalp untilthe next stitch has been made. so as to prevent slipping.

The numeral 46 in Figure 2 refers to a conventional anti-frictionmounting.

There is illustrated in Figure 9 a modified form of attachment. Themodified attachment is a drum-shaped structure 60 having a rear wall Eland a side wall 63. Side wall 63 is provide. at spaced intervals with aplurality of spacedapart slots 64 therein, and centrally of the wall 6|there is provided a bearing 62 whereby it may be mounted in theaforesaid manner.

The device is used in the following manner:

Counter-weight 41 is withdrawn from feeder 45 and the feeder is filledwith horizontally positioned strands of pre-cut simulated hair 44, allof the strands of hair being illustrated as being of equal length. Thecounter-weight is then placed into position and the feeder will be foundto contain sufficient hair to provide a complete head of hair for onedoll, whereupon the feeder must be filled again.

Thereupon the pressure foot 30 is raised slightly, for which purpose themechanism is provided with a conventional lifter rod 33 which isactivated by a foot pedal not shown in the drawing. The space betweenthe lower horizontal bar of presser foot 30 and element 32a of post 32will be sufliciently increased to permit scalp 52 to be enteredtherebetween and to be placed upon the element 32a of post 32 asillustratd in Figure 3. This is done when needle 3i is in its lowermostposition.

The mechanism i then activated in the conventional manner. Thevertically reciprocating needle 3! will advance upwardly and the hookedend of needle 3! will pierce an opening through scalp 52, and its upwardstroke will continue through an opening in the lower bar of presser foot30 in the conventional manner. The timing the relative movement of discII is such that when the needle passes through the opening in resserfoot 30, one of the slots l2 of attachment it will be in alinementtherewith. The needle will enter through the slot at the beginning ofthe slot, and the feeder 45 will rock forward. Figure 11 shows theneedle after its hooked end has passed through one of the slots II. Inthis illustration the needle 3| is illustrated as having advancedupwardly through the opening in the upper horizontal bar of presser foot30 but has not completed its upward stroke. It will advance upwardly ashort distance further, at which time the feeder will have reached theposition illustrated in Figure 4. The hooked end of needle 31 will enteropening 50 in feeder 45 and engage a quantity of hair between the endsof each strand. The number of strands of hair engaged by the hooked endof the needle will obviously depend upon the size of the hook. When thehooked end of the needle has engaged the hair, nut 86 by which arm 80 issecured to excentric 84 will have passed its lowermost position on disc84 and will advance upwardly, causing feeder 45 to rock backwards. Atthe same time the needle will start its downward stroke and, havingreached the end of the slot i2 through which it had entered, it willwithdraw through that slot at the end thereof, and draw the strands ofhair engaged by the hooked end of the needle through the opening in thelower bar of presser foot 30 and through the opening in the scalp madeby the needle during its upward stroke, where they will be retained bylock-stitch against the interior of the scalp, as at 56. The free endsof the hair thus rooted which extend upon the exterior of the scalp 52as in Figure 5, and they will be brushed away by the rotative movementof member H, so that, when the needle has reached its lowest positionand is about to execute an upward stroke again, the free ends of rootedhair will have been brushed out of the path of the needle. When theneedle has reached its lowest position and is aboout to advance upwardlyagain, feeder 45 will have rocked to its extreme backward position andwill be about to move forward again,

and the next adjacent slot I! of disc I I will be in alinement with theneedle for its hooked end to pass through. The operator guides the scalp52 upon post 32, so that hair may be rooted wherever desired. When thehead has been completed, activation of the foot pedal will raise thepresser foot again, so that the scalp may be removed in the same mannerin which it has been entered.

The timing of the disc is such, that it will complete one revolution tosix to-and-fro movements of the feeder and six up and down movements ofthe needle. This ratio may vary by the addition of slots in the disc orthe elimination of slots therefrom, and the timing of the feeder may bealtered by placing nut 86 in another opening in excentric disc 84.

Thus there has been shown and described a simple and highly effectiveattachment for converting a conventional chain stitch sewing machineinto a machine suitable for rooting simulated hair into a dolls head inthe preferred form of its embodiment and in one modification thereof,but it is to be understood that this disclosure is to be regarded asdescriptive and illustrative only of the best known forms of theinvention and not as limitative and restrictive to the exact detailsshown, applicant reserving the right to make such changes in hisinvention as may come within the scope of the appended claims withoutthereby departing either from the spirit or the scope thereof.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In an attachment for converting a chainstitch type sewing machineinto a mechanism for rooting hair to the interior of a dolls scalp, thecombination with a chain-stitch type sewing machine mechanism includinga post comprising an upright having a rectangularly turned upper endupon which the scalp rests, the rectangularly turned upper end of thepost having an opening therein, a vertically reciprocating, hookedneedle the hook of which passes through the opening in the rectangularlyturned upper end of the post to pierce the scalp during the upwardstroke of the needle, a presser foot above and in alignment with theneedle, the presser foot having two spaced-apart horizontal bars and avertical bar by which the horizontal bars are joined edgewise, a feedercontaining strands of pre-cut simulated hair which are successivelyengaged midway their length by the hooked end of the needle at thetermination of its upward stroke, the needle drawing the hair downwardlythrough the pierced openings in the scalp during its downward stroke tolock the hair securely against the interior of the scalp portion of thehead, a disc-shaped wiper rotatable horizontally above the lower bar ofthe pressure foot, and a plurality of means in said wiper through whichthe needle passes during its upward stroke and through which the needledraws strands of hair engaged by its hooked end during its downwardstroke.

2. In an attachment for converting a chainstitch type sewing machineinto a mechanism for rooting hair to the interior of a doll's scalp, thecombination with a chain-stitch type sewing machine mechanism as abovedescribed of a wiper for brushing aside the free ends of rooted hair,said wiper comprising a disc having a plurality of elongated slots atspaced intervals near aeeasos its outer edge, said disc rotatablymounted above the lower bar of the presser foot of the sewing machinemechanism, the slots in said disc successively coming into alinementwith the needle at the beginning of the upward stroke of the needle andpassing from alinement when the needle has completed substantially halfof its downward stroke.

3. An attachment for converting a sewing machine mechanism of thecharacter described into a mechanism for rooting hair to the interior ofa dolls scal comprising the combination with a chain stitch sewingmachine mechanism having a vertically reciprocating hooked needle, apost adjacent thereto upon which a work-piece may be placed, a presserfoot having a pair of spaced apart horizontal arms and a pair ofspaced-apart vertical arms, a main horizontal drive shaft and a verticalshaft actuated thereby, of a disc having a plurality of spaced-apartelongated slots near its outer edge, said disc rotatably mounted at thelower end of the vertical shaft, the slots in said disc adaptedsuccessively to be brought into position over the needle of themechanism, the needle successively entering each slot in said disc atthe beginning of each slot during the upward stroke of the needle, afeeder containing a quantity of strands of preeut hair in alinement withthe needle, the needle adapted to grasp and hold a quantity of strandsat the beginning of its downward stroke midway the length of thestrands, the needle drawing the hair downwardly through the work-piecenear the end of each of the slots in said disc.

4-. In an attachment for converting a chainstitch type sewing machineinto a mechanism for chain-stitching simulated hair to the interior of adolls scalp, the combination of a chainstitch type sewing machinemechanism including a machine head, a main drive shaft extendinghorizontally therethrough. a vertically reciprocating hooked needleactivated by said main drive shaft, a presser foot above and inalignment with the needle, the presser foot having two spaced-apartparallel horizontal bars and a vertical bar whereby said horizontal barsare joined edgewise, each of the horizontal bars having an openingtherein through which the needle reciprocates, a post beneath and spacedfrom the lower bar of the presser foot, the upper end of the post turnedrectangular-1y so that the scalp of a doll may be placed thereon, therectangularly turned end of th post having an opening therein inalignment with the openings in the horizontal cars of the presser footthrough which the needle reciprocates: and a horizontally rotatingmember mounted between the horizontal bars of the presser foot, saidrotating member activated by the main drive shaft of the mechanism, saidrotating member having a plurality of spaced-apart openings adaptedsuccessively to aligned with the needle, a haircarrying feeder adaptedto be brought successively into and out of alignment with the needle,the needle adapted during its upward stroke to enter the opening in theturned end of the post, pierce an opening in the scalp positionedthereon, pass through the opening in the lower bar of the presser foot,pass through an opening in the rotating member, pass through the openingin the upper bar of the presser foot to engage a quantity of hair in thefeeder, and during its downward stroke adapted to draw the hair throughthe several openings and through a pierced opening in the scalp tostitch the strands of hair to the interior of the scalp.

5. An attachment at set forth in claim 4, wherein the feeder isrockingly activated by the main drive shaft of the mechanism in suchinanner that the feeder will reach its extreme backward position whenthe needle of the mechanism has completed its downward stroke, andwherein the feeder will have reached its extreme forward positionimmediately after the needle has completed its upward stroke.

6. An attachment as set forth in claim 4, wherein the feeder is providedwith an opening through which the hooked end of the needle enters toengage a quantity of strands of hair to be drawn downwardly through thescalp and loek stitched to the interior thereof.

7. In an attachment for converting chainstitch type sewing machine intoa mechanism for rooting hair into a dolls scalp, the combination with achain-stitch type sewing machine mechanism including a post comprisingan upright having a rectangularly turned upper end upon which the scalprests, the rectangularly turned upper end of the post having an openingtherein, a vertically reciprocating hooked needle passing partly throughthe opening in the rectangularly turned upper end of the post to piercethe scalp during the upward stroke of the needle, a prcsser foot aboveand in alignment with the needle, the presser foot having two horizontalbars and a vertical bar by which the horizontal bars are joinededgewise, a receptacle carrying eimilated hair from which successiveportions are engaged by the needle at the beginning of its downwardstroke, the needle drawing hair through the pierced openings in thescalp during its downward stroke to stitch the hair securely against theinterior of the scalp; of a discshaped wiper, said wiper rotatablehorizontally above the lower bar of the presser foot, and a plurality ofmeans in said wiper through which the needle draws hair engaged by itduring its downward stroke.

8. The method of stitching hair to the interior of a dolls scalp whichcomprises the steps of arranging strands of hair above and adjacent thematerial to be rooted, causing the strands of hair to be carried into aposition above the material to be rooted, reciprocating a hooked needlethrough the scalp to the hair, causing the needle to draw a quantity ofstrands of hair downward- 1y through the workpiece, chain-stitching thestrands of hair to the interior of the workpiece and brushing aside thefree ends of the hair extending from the exterior of the workpiece toprevent subsequent downward pull thereof by the reciprocating needle.

9. The method of chain-stitching strands of simulated hair to theinterior of a dolls scalp which comprises the steps of verticallyreciprocating the hooked end of a needle into, through and out of adolls scalp, advancing the needle past a hair-containing feeder, causingthe needle to engage strands of hair on the feeder and to draw the hairdownwardly from the feeder through the scalp midway the length of thestrands of hair, chain-stitching the hair to the interior of the scalp,and by mechanical means brushing the free ends of chain-stitched hairout of the path of the reciprocating needle.

10. The method of stitching simulated hair to the underside of aworkpiece. which comprises the steps of arranging simulated hair abovethe workpiece, reciprocating a needle through the workpiece to the hair,causing the needle to draw strands of simulated hair through theworkpiece, and stitching the strands of simulated hair to the undersideof the workpiece.

11. The method of chain-stitching strands of simulated hair to theinterior of a dolls scalp which comprises the steps of verticallyreciprocating the hooked end of the needle into, through and out of adolls scalp, advancing the needle past simulated hair, causing theneedle to engage successive strands of hair and to draw the strandsthrough the scalp, and chain-stitching the strands to the interior ofthe scalp.

12. As an article of manufacture, a dolls head having a plurality ofspaced-apart pierced openings in its scalp, strands of hair-like fibrein the openings centrally of the length of each strand, the centers ofthe strands projecting from and lock-stitched to the interior of thescalp, the

free ends of the lock-stitched hair extending upon a the exterior of thescalp.

13. As an article of manufacture, a dolls head having a plurality ofpierced spaced-apart openings throughout its scalp, a strand ofhair-like fibre in each opening midway of the length of each strand,each of the strands forming a loop penetrating to the interior of thescalp, said loops lock stitched to the interior of the scalp, and

the free ends of each lock-stitched strand extending upon the exteriorof the scalp for combing and dressing.

14. As an article of manufacture, a dolls head having a plurality ofspaced-apart openings in its scalp, strands of hair-like fibre in theopenings extending partly through the scalp, the parts of the strands ofhair-like fibre extending through the scalp stitched to the interior ofthe scalp, and the free ends of the stitched fibre extending upon theexterior of the scalp.

15. As an article of manufacture, a dolls head having a scalp, strandsof simulated hair extending partly through the scalp to the interior ofthe scalp, a loop formed by the part of each strand which extendsthrough the scalp, said loops stitched to the interior of the scalp, andthe free ends of the stitched strands extending upon the exterior of thescalp for combing, brushing and dressing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,186,534 Aldworth June 13, 1916 2,626,619 Sievers Jan. 27,1953 2,636,460 Seiderman Apr. 28, 1953

